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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28315575">By The Fire's Glow Revisited</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laily/pseuds/Laily'>Laily</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Now That's What I Call Magic! [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Protective Stephen Strange, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:14:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,508</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28315575</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laily/pseuds/Laily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas, and Stephen is melancholic. Again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Now That's What I Call Magic! [16]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>By The Fire's Glow Revisited</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stephen tinkered with the newly bought electric heater with flame effect he had bought on a whim just the day before on Christmas Eve. “I wish we could have a real fire but this will have to do.” </p><p>He had never been one for last-minute Christmas shopping, but having company over for Christmas for a change was proving to be detrimental to both his nerves and his wallet.</p><p>And when the company in question was none other than Loki of Asgard, Stephen found himself second-guessing every little decision, down to the choice of eggnog.</p><p>Much to Stephen's delight, Loki was already on his second glass; he knew forgoing store-bought eggnog to make his own was the right decision.</p><p>Loki took an enthusiastic sip of his very rummy eggnog. “Don’t you have like, three fireplaces? One of them should still be working.” </p><p>“Smoke from burning wood can be just as toxic as that from cigarettes,” Stephen said firmly. </p><p>Loki rolled his eyes. "Right."</p><p>It had been quite some time since he’d last seen Stephen so excited about anything, so Loki was content to let Stephen do all the work. “So this is what Midgardians do on Christmas?”</p><p>“Every family has its own tradition.” </p><p>With an amused smile, Loki watched Stephen fluff up the giant pillows one by one. Once he was done propping the pillows up side by side on the couch, Stephen straightened to admire his work and noticed Loki staring. “What?” </p><p>“Nothing.” But Loki was still beaming, and everybody knew when Loki smiled like that, either something exciting was about to happen or it had already happened.</p><p>Stephen had no choice but to hold the TV remote control hostage. “I’m not playing the movie until you tell me.”</p><p>Loki’s eyes danced. “You said family.”</p><p>“I did," Stephen said smoothly. "And maybe one day if we have kids of our own, we'd watch Home Alone, but for now - " he patted the space next to him, " 'Die Hard'."</p><p>Loki's blush deepened and he felt momentarily giddy; from the alcohol, or Stephen's bold words, it was anyone's guess. </p><p>They were more than halfway through the film when Loki next spoke.</p><p>"Why this movie?" Loki asked with a small frown. </p><p>"You don't like it?"</p><p>"It's very...bloody."</p><p>"Never thought that'd be a problem for you," Stephen teased. </p><p>"For a Christmas movie," Loki added an addendum to his previous comment. </p><p>"It's got everything. Action, romance, villains that just won't die..." Stephen ran a hand up and down the side of Loki's arm. "And most importantly…a happy ending." </p><p>"Thanks, but you didn't have to spoil the movie for my sake," Loki said dryly.</p><p>"Seriously? You've been earth-side for how long and no one ever made you watch Die Hard on Christmas Day?"</p><p>"I'm hardly the most pleasant company on most days, Doctor, what makes you think people would want me around on Christmas?"</p><p>Stephen stared. He pulled Loki in closer. </p><p>"All the more for me," he said simply.</p><p>"Stop." Loki meant to snort but his limbs had other ideas. Stephen was much warmer than any heater in the world; with a contented sigh and a small chuckle, Loki surrendered himself into the embrace.</p><p>Surprisingly, Loki found the film, despite its gaudy vibes of the eighties, quite watchable, if not downright enjoyable. </p><p>Loki sniffed. "Of course he would take the girl hostage. How predictable."</p><p>As an on-screen Bruce Willis slowly lowered his weapons and put his hands in the air, Loki groaned aloud.</p><p>"Really, John? Couldn't you have just taken the shot, instead of doing what the bad guy tells you?" Loki made a pained face. "This is why I cannot watch Midgardian films."</p><p>Stephen chuckled. "What would you have done?"</p><p>"Assuming you're McClane, and I'm your wife who has just been stupidly taken hostage?" Loki did not bother waiting for Stephen's reply. "I'd tell you where to shoot. If you aim right, you can get in a good hit or two."</p><p>"What? You'd have me shoot through you?" Stephen shook his head. "No. I would never do that."</p><p>"You would surrender?"</p><p>"I would find another way."</p><p>"What if there's no other way?"</p><p>"There is always another way." Stephen's eyes were hard. "I could strike a bargain. I could talk the bad guy into giving up. I could give <em> myself </em> up."</p><p>"You would?"</p><p>Stephen stabbed the pause button, freezing the movie in the midst of Alan Rickman's taunting of Bruce Willis by means of a gun to his wife's head. </p><p>"If it means saving you, yes," Stephen snapped. </p><p>Loki had never actually been on the receiving end of Stephen's temper and he was curious as to what he had said that had rubbed his human lover the wrong way.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Stephen. I did not mean to upset you."</p><p>With a sigh, Stephen pressed an apologetic kiss to the side of Loki's head.</p><p>"It's not you, Loki," he said finally. "I don't think I've told you this but...that was how the Ancient One died." </p><p>"She was a hostage caught in a crossfire?"</p><p>Stephen shook his head slowly, his thousand-yard stare dark and empty. "Kaecilius ran her through with his glass sword. Sacrificed one of his Zealots to get to her."</p><p>Loki closed a hand over the one fisting the tartan throw over their laps.</p><p>"It was her time," he said gently. </p><p>Stephen returned the gesture gratefully; Loki's fingers were ice-cold as usual and he found himself rubbing them in between the palm of his hands. "I wish you'd known her. You would have liked her."</p><p>Loki studied their clasped hands in quiet wonder. "I wouldn't have met you."</p><p>If the last Christmas they had spent together was any indication, Stephen had a tendency to be gloomier than usual when he was supposed to be merry.</p><p>"I propose a toast," Loki said, false cheer lilting his voice. "But before that -" he raised his glass, "May I please have a refill?"</p><p>"Easy, Loki. But since you asked so nicely..." Stephen laughed and refilled Loki's glass with homemade eggnog as requested.  </p><p>"To the Ancient One." Loki held out his glass. "And to all the ones we lost."</p><p>Stephen raised his glass, his silent toast a melancholic echo to Loki's. He was about to drink but the sight of Loki's snow-white throat bobbing up and down as he swallowed had Stephen lapsing into distraction. </p><p>"And the ones we found," he whispered, leaning in for a sweet kiss. Loki's lips tasted as intoxicating as they always did, no matter the flavour. </p><p>"I could get used to this," Loki murmured. "This family tradition of yours."</p><p>"It's hardly the most exciting. Australians always do great barbeques for Christmas coz their December is hotter than hell. And Japan does Kentucky Fried Christmas dinners, if you can believe it."</p><p>"Sounds like you're hungry," Loki teased. </p><p>"For you, yes." Stephen played with the ends of Loki's hair, twirling the ebony curls around his fingers.</p><p>"I have to see how it ends." Loki nodded at the television. "Who wins in the end?"</p><p>"McClane, of course," Stephen said, because spoiling movies was what he did best. For someone burdened with the knowledge of the future, he could spoil nothing else. "Good guys always win."</p><p>"Not always," Loki said darkly.</p><p>"On Christmas Day they do." Stephen pressed the play button and they resumed watching. </p><p>It did not take long for Stephen to realise that the movie was nearing the end, and they were coming up to the part where the main villain was going to dangle some few hundred feet in the air from the windows of Nakatomi Plaza. </p><p>"Shit. I forgot about this part," he muttered, patting the couch for the remote control he had mindlessly discarded earlier but of course, one could never find anything when one needed it the most.</p><p>"Leave it, Stephen," Loki said quietly.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I don't need saving."</p><p>Loki turned his head slowly, the smile on his face the softest Stephen had ever seen. "Not anymore." </p><p>Loki said nothing as the villain plummeted to his death, but words were not needed. Loki was no longer falling. </p><p>But Stephen held him anyway as they watched the final scenes together. </p><p>"Stephen."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"As sexy as it may be to make out in the heat of battle, I should like to be kissed without all that blood," Loki said, wrinkling his nose in distaste.</p><p>Stephen burst out laughing. "I'll keep that in mind and wash up every time."</p><p>"That was a good movie. I like it."</p><p>"You like it enough to watch it again with me next year?"</p><p>Loki cupped the sides of Stephen's face. "Every year."</p><p>Stephen's heart fluttered. He strived to keep his voice still, but the excitement was making his stomach flip somersaults. "Let's make it Home Alone, then."</p><p>Loki's lower lip quivered. An eternity passed. "Let's."</p><p>Never had Stephen received a more precious gift, a sweeter promise of happiness everlasting, than the one Loki was giving him right now, </p><p>Stephen was never going to spend another Christmas alone ever again.</p><p>"Merry Christmas, my sweet Loki."</p><p>"Merry Christmas, Doctor."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Have a Merry Strangefrost Christmas, y'all!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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